BRIDE ON A BUDGET {Floral Savings}

September 12, 2012

I have been doing a lot of flower brainstorming lately for a few upcoming weddings. The recurring theme of my thoughts and conversations with people is always about saving money and creating convenience while giving them the most beautiful outcome. I’ve compiled a few tips and pieces of advice that will hopefully save you some cash :)

#1- Choose flowers that are larger in size and will give you more bang for your buck. Hydrangeas are a great example. Although they may cost a little bit more per stem than other flowers, in reality they are usually the size of about 6 stems of that other flower!

#2- Go for a more monochromatic color palette when choosing the flowers for your event. The bold impact this type of floral arrangement gives you is going to be more eye catching than an arrangement that mixes different colors/types of flowers of the same size. In return, you will be able to use less flowers and get the same impact.

#3- Ask your florist to make the bridesmaid’s bouquets smaller in size. Think about it…these flowers are only seen in pictures and in the ceremony so there is definitely no need for their bouquets to be as large as the bride’s. Creating a smaller bouquet doesn’t have to mean that they are less attractive. Take a look at these amazing bouquets that probably cost half the price of the typical size bouquet!!

#4- Take advantage of filler flowers/berries/and leaves. You can use less of the big-buck flowers while still creating a gorgeous arrangement. Some amazing fillers you could use include dusty miller/lamb’s ear {soft grey leaves}, baby’s breath, berries like hypericum and silver brunia,
#5- Focus your floral arrangements in areas where pictures will be taken. For example, arrangements at the end of the aisle are less important than arrangements at the altar. Centerpieces are more important than arrangements on the buffet tables…

#6- Use upgraded linens when possible. Colored/patterned/textured linens add a ton of interest to a tabletop that would otherwise solely depend on the centerpiece as decor. Whether you’re using the tablecloths to provide a base color or the napkins to add an extra pop of color to the tabletop, you really can’t go wrong in adding a little bit more depth to the tablescape.

#7- Opt out of the 98 corsages and boutonnieres brides usually choose for their family members and stick to ornamenting only the core group, the wedding party. Grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, step-mothers, step-grandmothers, great aunts…they don’t all need flowers. Many brides are choosing to use “found objects” as boutonnieres while others are opting out of boutonieres completely {swap for a fancy pocket square?}. Here are some alternative ideas…

#8- Re-use bride and bridesmaid bouquets as decor. Right after the ceremony and pictures, have your wedding planner place the bouquets where they belong {be sure to have extra vases with water waiting}. The bride’s bouquet is typically perfect decor for the cake table or sweetheart table. The bridesmaid’s can be used as centerpieces on cocktail tables, buffet decor, or any other area you want to highlight {i.e. up the stairs on either side, on either side of entrance doors, etc}.

#9- Find your favorite flower alternatives. Many expensive flowers have look-alikes that can easily be substituted and are a lot better for your budget. If your heart is set on a specific flower, use that expensive flower only in places that will be photographed the most often (i.e. the bride’s bouquet and cake table) and use the alternatives in other areas.

#10- Use flowers in an innovative way or use them sparingly in multiple vessels.

I hope you’ve learned a thing or two from this post!! Remember, we’re now available for your event florals!